


Runaway

by SelfEE



Category: Little House on the Prairie (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:48:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29947479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SelfEE/pseuds/SelfEE
Summary: The year is 1888. It is the first warm spring day in May and to celebrate Almanzo and Laura are preparing a picnic lunch to bring down to the lake. But a few interruptions delay all the work that they put in. I have re-imagined Times are Changing from Season 9 to make it more consistent with The Nephews from Season 7. A one shot. Story complete in one chapter.





	Runaway

Runaway

The year was eighteen eighty eight. Almanzo was sitting in the main room of the house remembering what happened on this date last year, which was May 5, 1887. Charles Ingalls had cleared out the last of his family's belongings from the little house and was getting it ready for a new family to move in. He remembered how much he and Beth looked forward to meeting its new inhabitants, John and Sarah Carter and their two sons, Jeb and Jason. Since then, they had all become close friends, but one friendship stood out and that was the friendship between their oldest boy, Jeb and Almanzo's niece, Jenny. The two had grown incredibly close and they were often seen together. It was like it was meant to be between the two of them, Almanzo had told Laura more than once and she had agreed.

It had all started when Almanzo's older brother, Royal, came back to visit; this time bringing his daughter, Jenny with him. It seems that his wife had died in childbirth two years ago. His two sons, Rupert and Myron, had been sent to boarding school somewhere back east, his brother never telling him exactly where.

Royal also never mentioned that he had been diagnosed with heart trouble and that his doctor had told him to leave the big city and to take it easy. Almanzo had had no idea that he would pass four months later, leaving a devastated Jenny with them to care for.

At first, Jenny blamed her aunt and uncle for not telling her that was sick, but Jenny's accident changed all that. Jeb rescued Jenny from drowning, despite the fact that he didn't know how to swim. Laura, Almanzo, Jeb and the kids showed love every way they could and little by little Jenny realized that her anger and stubbornness were not warranted.

In the end, it was love and respect that had won out and that managed to last from one last year to this one. The help and acceptance added by little Jeb Carter along with his parents only strengthened that love.

Things were also improving for Almanzo, Laura, and Rose. They were doing well, their orchard was producing. Almanzo's first crop of wheat had finally come in. Laura was bringing apples and eggs along with vegetables grown fresh from her garden down to Oleson's Mercantile to sell. The money saved bought them two new cows. Part of the deal included a baby calf that just wouldn't stay still, despite every effort that Almanzo made to stop him from running.

And so on this, the first warm spring day in early May, Almanzo had just returned from bringing the runaway calf back to the barn. It was the third time he had to go after him just this morning. He just couldn't stay in one place long enough.

"Almanzo," a voice called. "Could you take down the picnic basket? I can barely reach it."

He sighed and shook his head. "Comin' darling," he called out, stood up and made his way into the kitchen.

"You know, Beth," Almanzo said, reaching up to bring down the basket, "Sometimes I wonder why that little guy keeps running off every chance he gets."

"He's new here, Manly," Laura said, as Almanzo placed it on the table. "He'll just have to get used to his new friends, that's all."

"I didn't really want to wait that long, Beth," he said, standing up. He put his arms around her shoulders and stared into her eyes. "I was hopin' it would be a lot sooner than that."

"And how are you going to do that?"

Almanzo smiled. "You've got the magic touch, Laura. Come on, you're great with all of the horses. "

"And you were hoping that I'd be able to work with that little runaway."

Almanzo nodded his head. "I've tried everything my father showed me. You know, feed them, walk with them, get them to trust you sort of thing. All of it hasn't worked. "

"Have you given him a name?"

Almanzo shook his head. "Jenny suggested Runaway. I've been mulling it over for some time. I think I might just go with it, but I don't really want anyone getting too attached to him."

Laura frowned. "Where is Jenny anyway? I asked her to help us with the picnic lunch?"

"She's gone down to Plum Creek with Rose to get some water. The two of them should be back…"

"Uncle Manzo, Uncle Manzo."

Almanzo and Laura looked up to find Jenny standing in the doorway.

"Rose is gone, Uncle Manzo, Aunt Laura. I can't find her anywhere. I thought she might have come into the house."

Almanzo turned to face Laura, but she was already looking at him. He turned back to his niece. "We haven't seen her, Jenny; we thought she was with you."

"She was until a little while ago," Jenny said, "I told her to wait for me while I scooped up the water from the creek. When I climbed back up, she was gone."

"We'd better go out to look for her," Laura said.

"Alright," Almanzo said, turning to face her, "but we'll split up. Jenny and I will look in the barn while you search around the house."

Laura nodded, her eyes filling with tears, but Almanzo took her in his arms. "We'll find her, Beth, don't worry. She couldn't have gone far."

A noise from outside made the three of them turn around.

"What was that, Uncle Manzo?"

"Not so sure, Jenny, but I think it came from inside the barn."

He turned toward Laura, grabbed her hand and the three of them ran out to see what they could see.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"The calf got loose again," Almanzo told Laura and Jenny. He held up the empty rat trap.

"Don't tell me," Laura said, "Barnum reared again because a rat ran through the barn?"

"How did you know?" Almanzo said, smiling.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Laura said and they both laughed.

Jenny didn't think it was funny. "Now we have both of them to look for," she said, frowning.

"Well, let's go," Almanzo said, "Jenny, stay out here while I put the rat trap back in the barn. Beth, see if you can find Rose."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"I think I see the calf, Uncle Manzo," Jenny said, looking out into the field.

"I guess I left the corral open, didn't I?"

"Could have been me, Uncle Manzo."

"Or it could have been the latch?" Almanzo said, walking over to examine it. It was loose and wouldn't close properly. He sighed. He knew he'd have to tighten it up.

"Uncle Manzo?"

Manly picked his head up and saw Jenny pointing at something. The calf was no longer standing in the field chewing on blades of grass. He was on the move and he was moving quickly. Almanzo followed her finger and his eyes opened wide when he finally saw the direction the little one was headed.

"Laura," he said, his eyes opening wide. There she was, not too far from the creek, bending down to accept a bunch of prairie roses that someone was handing her. And that someone looked a lot like….

"ROSEY," he called and turned back to Jenny, who had already disappeared. When he turned around again, Jenny was already over there, picking his daughter up and out of harm's way. He watched as the two stood side by side, talking to one another. He saw Jenny shift Rose to her left side and with her right hand sprinkle something into Beth's palm. Laura nodded her head and ran out to meet the calf halfway, who by this time had slowed down considerably.

Almanzo broke into a run, calling out Laura's nickname and didn't stop until he reached Jenny and Rose.

He watched with disbelief as Laura took command of the situation. She took hold of the calf and started talking to him, petting him and feeding him. With the other hand, Laura grabbed the rope that was tied around the calf's neck and Beth led the calf quietly back toward Jenny and Rose.

"When did you get here?" Laura said, to a confused Almanzo. She took Rose from her niece and handed her the calf. "Bring Runaway back to the barn, Jenny. Manly and I will meet you at the table in the main room."

She turned to face Almanzo who was still staring at her, speechless.

"What's up, Manly?" she asked, trying not to smile.

He shook his head. "How did you…"

"Did I ever tell you about Fagin, Almanzo?" Laura said, as she boosted Rose higher before Almanzo took her in his arms.

"Oh, and the latch on the corral is loose. We need to fix it."

And, with a smile, she walked into the house while Almanzo and Rose stared after her.

Manly turned to his two year old daughter and sighed. "Who's Fagin?" he asked her as he followed Beth inside.

Author's Note: I have reimagined Times Are Changing from Season 9 in order to make it more consistent with The Nephews from Season 7. Hopefully, this should clear things up.


End file.
